This grant is to request support for the 40th annual meeting of the International Narcotics Research Conference (INRC) to be held in Portland, OR from July 12-18, 2009. INRC has been for many years the most prestigious international meeting for the dissemination and exchange of information about biomedical research on opiate drugs and the endogenous opioid system. The topics range from molecular to behavioral and clinical studies. Support is requested primarily for partial travel support to enable young scientists, i.e. graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty, to participate in the Conference. Invited symposium speakers, not normally INRC participants, will receive partial support. Funds requested for administrative and meeting expenses represent ~10% of the total. This year, INRC has three confirmed plenary speakers on various topics, including Drs. Kim Burchiel, OHSU, Gail Mandel, OHSU and Jeff Mogil, McGill Univ., Canada. Dr. Alan North from the University of Manchester, UK, was elected the Founders'Lecturer for the 2009 Meeting. Seven symposia will cover a wide range of topics as described in the application, including drug abuse/synaptic plasticity in reward areas, circuitry involved in pain modulatory systems, opiate receptor interactions, opiate peptides/novel ligands, sex differences in pain and analgesia and opioids and immune system. A number of relevant contributed papers will be chosen for oral presentation at each symposium. There will be two poster sessions, at which there is always much exchange and discussion. There will be a NIDA mini-symposium on clinical trials network and translational research. For participants from many countries, this international meeting is their only chance to meet and exchange ideas. We feel that participation by many pre- and post- doctoral trainees has resulted and is likely to continue to result in recruiting promising scientists to a career of drug abuse research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Drug addiction is an increasing health concern. The 40th International Narcotics Research Conference provides an opportunity for investigators in the field of drug abuse research to meet and exchange ideas about latest developments in this important area of research.